


The Power of a Name

by raiyana



Series: The Skin-Changer Chronicles [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Like, Tumblr: ImaginexHobbit, i love this, omg this is adorable, toddler Beorn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-19
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-12-17 11:05:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11850282
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raiyana/pseuds/raiyana
Summary: In a mountain village by a clear lake, surrounded by forests, a small boy was born. He was a special boy, however, for he could change his skin and become a bear like the rest of his Clan.Some day, his name would be known far and wide... but today... today is the day he chooses his name, leaving behind his infancy and taking the first step on the road of his life.





	The Power of a Name

The cub jumped, catching his mother’s ear with his small teeth and worrying it like he would one day pounce on rabbits and break their necks with a snap of his adult jaw.

“Morning, Hwelpan[1],” Mama smiled.

“I’m not Hwelpan!” he snarled – or tried to, he was too small to be very impressive – tugging on her ear again. Mama rolled on her back, making him flump onto her large belly and swatted him playfully with her large paw.

“Who are you then, if not my Hwelpan?” she asked, pretending to be frightened of his fierce babyteeth.

“I’m Beorn!” he decided. “And I’m going to be a Scildere[2], just like papa,” he informed her, jumping up and down a few times, before burying his face into her fur looking for milk-giving teats.

“Well, my wee Beorn, that IS a good strong name for one of the Scildere,” mama agreed, rolling to her side to give him easier access to his food. “You’ll grow big and strong, Hwelpan,” she murmured sleepily, patting his head.

A roar sounded in the distance.

“Can we go watch, mama, can we, can we?” Hwelpan yipped excitedly, forgetting his thirst for the moment. Mama’s large paw came down to push him back to her teats, groaning at the release of milk as he suckled obediently.

“When you have fed, and had a wash, we can go watch papa practice with the other Scildere,” she promised. “A human-skin wash, mind, son. No son of mine will be going to watch the Ánwig[3] without being presentable.”

“Must I?” he whined. The large paw didn’t have to push him back to his task however. Mama chuckled.

“You are the son of their dryhtcwén[4] and the best warrior in our clan, Hwelpan. You must honour your blood.” She rumbled – a sound that would become an angered growl if he persisted in his defiance, he knew. Hwelpan licked his muzzle clean, finishing his meal neatly. Mama rumbled a pleased sound this time, getting to her feet and picking him up by the scruff of the neck. Hwelpan whined. He was a warrior, not a baby! When she flung him into the low waters of the lake, however, he gave a whine of laughter, changing his skin mid-air and splashing into the lake as a small boy.

“Mama, mama!” he called, “do the wave!” With a shake of her big dark head, the bear who was his mother’s animal skin jumped after him, her massive shape making a large wave that tumbled him over in the clear cool water. Mama laughed, catching him with arms that were still lightly furred. Her hair – a shocking red in human skin that Hwelpan envied furiously – continued in a mane down to the small of her back, the suggestion of a tail in the hair above her rump.

“So, my little Beorn,” she smiled, kissing his nose. “Let’s get you cleaned up so we can go watch papa trounce a few young upstarts.” Her smile was sharp – so were her teeth – but her eyes shone with love as she began to scrub the filth off the little boy.

 

Hwelpan yawned. He was still in human skin, lying along the length of mama’s back as the large dark brown bear walked through the forests towards their mountain village. The sun was warm against his back, her moves slowly rocking him to sleep.

“Dryhtcwén,” the walkers said, bowing to the bear as she passed. She nodded at each, acknowledging her people as she moved slowly through the village towards the sound of combat. Climbing the stands, she shuddered once, a move so fluid it instantly revealed her powerful bloodlines and picked up her sleeping son, taking her place to watch the Ánwig and enjoying the sight of her powerful mate as he wrestled one of the young ones hoping to advance in the ranks.

“Scildere,” she called. “Make your dryhtcwén proud.” The two warriors bowed.

The small boy on her lap stirred eventually, staring happily at his grizzled papa. With a final roar, the giant man tossed his opponent onto his back, and bowed to the fur-covered throne where the naked woman lounged with her son.

“Papa won!” Hwelpan cried, reaching towards the warrior, who grinned at him.

“Your son has chosen his name, mate,” mama said behind him, and Hwelpan heard the pride in her rough voice. Her long-nailed fingers scratched through his hair, tickling down his spine. Hwelpan squirmed with laughter.

“Have you now, Hwelpan,” papa rumbled, pleased, and picked up Hwelpan to set him on his shoulders as he walked to the defeated combatant and pulled him back to his feet.

“It is a good name,” mama decreed. “For my son will be the greatest Scildere we have seen.” The Walkers who had now joined the circle, even if they had not watched the Ánwig, waited, an undercurrent of excitement in the air.

“Tell me your name, son of mine?” papa asked. Suddenly, Hwelpan felt shy, all the eyes in the circle on him, but when he spoke, his voice rang clearly through the clearing.

“Beorn,” he affirmed. “My name is Beorn.”

 

 

 

[1] Cub

[2] Shielder/protector

[3] duels

[4] Noble queen


End file.
